This week's lessons focused on project based learning and group collaboration. In our readings and in the videos, emphasis was placed on the benefits of using collaboration and project approaches to instruction. Using these provides for flexibility in presentation and allows students to use their strengths to help each other. My experience shows that, when properly planned and constantly assessed, the project and group collaboration approach can be very successful. My first years in teaching were in a Special Education classroom in which I had students from Kinder up to 5th grade. In addition to the wide age/grade range, the students also varied greatly in their abilities. One of the 5th graders was functioning on a Kinder level and a 2nd and 3rd grader were functioning above 5th grade level. The other students had abilities and interests that fell mostly within their age/grade level. I found it difficult to teach to such a varied group unless I used a theme and project based approach. However, through trial and error, I found that this approach requires careful planning and constant evaluation for effectiveness. Of course, there were issues with management and student grouping. Flexible grouping allows for students to work with different students with different talents and interests and helps students learn to cooperate when faced with varying personalities and learning styles. At first I tried homogenous grouping but found that not all the students were successful. Grouping students by mixed abilities and talents allowed studentst to work with each others strengths while supporting each others weaknesses. It was, however, very important to make sure that the group was truly cooperating and working together rather than one or two students taking over the whole project. This is one example of where constant evaluation and assessment is needed. Providing the groups different options for output and products allowed them the flexibility they needed to focus on their strengths as a team. Overall, this approach is very helpful and has many benefits such as flexibility, multiple approaches and products, addressing multiple content and objectives, etc. But, in order to be effective, group projects should be used regularly so that students are comfortable with the approach and expectations and objectives need to be made very clear. Constant evaluation and tweeking is necessary and careful and detailed planning is also a must. If all this is followed, this approach is effective in reaching all students and providing all students the opportunity to be successful, good communicators and cooperative teammembers.
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